Frame mounted unfurling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A display roller is driven in bidirectional rotation to deploy a plurality of commercial sheets which are coiled around the roller. Each one of the sheets is fixed to an outer surface of the display roller with the sheets coiled about the display roller such that the distal ends of the sheets are spaced apart. A pressure contactor applies pressure in contact with the coiled sheets and is positioned on the coiled sheets such that as the display roller rotates, each distal end of each one of the sheets that passes the pressure contactor in turn, is free to partially unwrap the corresponding sheet, so as to fall from the display roller thereby assuming a vertical deployment as an unwrapped sheet and may be further extended by counter rotation of the display roller.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of a prior filed Provisional Patent application having Ser. No. 60/667,811 and filing date Apr. 1, 2005.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Present Disclosure

This disclosure relates generally to commercial displays and signs and more particularly to such a display having plural screens that may be interchangeably viewed, viewed in sequence or viewed randomly with automated functionality.

2. Description of Related Art

Graphic art works are used as backgrounds in photography studios and theatre, and also in static or moving commercial signs, billboards and presentation boxes. Pull-down art sheets may depict a particular scene or provide a particular colorful background, and such sheets are wound on a roller and deployed like a window shade. When a particular background is to be used, the background is unrolled to give the desired effect. Portrait studios must have a variety of such sheets to meet a wide range of needs. Likewise, displayed commercial sheets such as billboards and signs must be changed frequently to maintain commercial interest.

It is known to provide a series of backgrounds employed end-to-end to form a continuous web which is moved in sequence past a display aperture. As indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,128,688 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,993, such webs are wound between two shafts to form a scroll. When a new background or artwork is desired, the web is scrolled from one shaft to the other until the desired background is in position. This is an inconvenient and impractical approach because of the need to attach the various scenes to each other, and the inability to display a selected scene without rolling through others of the scenes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,993 teaches the inclusion of a stabilizing roller weight disposed on a web positioned between the shafts. By adding an optical detection system and computer, this system is capable of accurate automatic positioning. While such systems perform adequately under optimal conditions, initial setup and continued operation may be labor intensive. U.S. Pat. No. 624,111 teaches a rotating carrier with journals holding a plurality of reels wound with pictorial screens. A ratchet system enables the carrier to position any one of the reels for unwinding and display.

These and other forms of changeable pictorial display are well known in the art, as for instance my prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,213 which teaches a background support system which includes a single-roller assembly upon which a number of backgrounds are mounted and from which any specific background may be rapidly deployed.

The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below and which distinguish over the prior art, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,213, by providing a cabinet within which a multi-sheet mounted roller is housed with side and bottom frames for concealing the edges of any one of the displayed sheets, and in which, in one embodiment, light is projected frontally onto a displayed sheet, and in which a press roller is situated so as to select a sheet that is to be displayed, and in which, in a further embodiment, illumination is rear projected to illuminate a translucent sheet.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE AND OBJECTIVES

This disclosure teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

The present apparatus is a display roller driven in bidirectional rotation to deploy a plurality of commercial sheets which are coiled around the roller. Each one of the sheets is fixed to an outer surface of the display roller with the sheets coiled around it such that the distal ends of the sheets are spaced apart. A pressure contactor applies pressure in contact with the coiled sheets and is positioned on the coiled sheets such that as the display roller rotates, each distal end of each one of the sheets that passes the pressure contactor in turn, is free to partially unwrap the corresponding sheet, so as to fall from the display roller thereby assuming a vertical deployment as an unwrapped sheet and may be further extended by counter rotation of the display roller. In this manner, the sheets may be displayed to a viewer at one side of the sheets and any one of the sheets may be deployed by merely sensing the ends of the sheets as the roller rotates.

A primary objective inherent in the above described apparatus and method of use is to provide advantages not taught by the prior art.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a means for displaying plural sheets commercial messages that may be viewed in alternating or sequential manner.

A further objective of the invention is to provide such a means capable of selecting an ordered sequence differing from the physical sequence of the plural sheets which are wound on a single roll.

A still further objective of the invention is to enable such a means capable of displaying opaque, transparent and translucent sheets.

In summary, the objective of the present apparatus is to provide a system which: utilizes a single roller assembly upon which a plurality of sheets are stored and selectively displayed; obviates the need for multiple support rollers and excessive front-to-back studio space; eliminates the mounting problems associated with a two-shaft continuous web scrolling configuration; has a minimum number of components, thus assuring increased reliability and low maintenance; allows rapid acquisition and display of any desired background in inventory on the roll; repeatedly locates the plane of the displayed background to within plus or minus a few centimeters thereby eliminating the need to reposition background lighting equipment or to refocus a camera when backgrounds are changed; and which eliminates the need for optical-electronics background positioning equipment, recalibration requirements and need for skilled labor management of the system.

Other features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the several embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the best mode embodiments of the present invention. In such drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of one embodiment of the disclosure showing placement of a front illumination source;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment thereof;

FIGS. 4A-4E are end elevational views of a winding of sheets of the invention about a roll of the invention; and

FIGS. 5A-5E are end elevational views of a further winding of sheets about a roll of the invention with placement of a rear illumination source.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The above described drawing figures illustrate the described apparatus and its method of use in at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiment, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may make alterations and modifications what is described herein without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, it must be understood that what is illustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as a limitation in the scope of the present apparatus and method of use.

In a best mode embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a roller set 10, i.e., a plurality of sheets 20 are mounted at their proximal ends 20′ (FIG. 4B) on a outer surface 15′ (FIG. 4A) of a display roller 15 which is rotationally mounted in a cabinet or frame 30. The display roller 15 is driven bidirectionally (clockwise and counterclockwise) by an electric motor or other drive 40′ in such a manner as to enable the unrolling and re-rolling of the sheets 20 with a selected one of the sheets 20 facing in a preferred direction, i.e., so as to be able to be seen by a viewer positioned to see the front face 32 of door 36.

When the front face 32 of the door 36 is visible to the viewer, then, when deployed, a selected one of the sheets 20 is in view while the other sheets 20 are hidden from view because they are positioned behind the deployed one of the sheets 20. Such a display cabinets 30 may be constructed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as for instance, with a window 34 in a door 36 so that a viewer sees only the front surface 20′ of front sheet 20 (the sheet nearest to the door) as will be described presently. Such a display cabinet 30 preferably has first light source 40 and electronic controls 50 which may be programmable. Typically a shadow frame 60 may be used to conceal the non-central portions of the sheets 20 when they are displayed through the window 34.

Thus, the individual sheets 20 may be displayed, one at a time, in any sequence desired. It is routine for those of skill in motor drive techniques to mechanically enable the display roller 15 to rotate under the control of a computer program, as for instance using a stepping motor (drive 40′) for rotational accuracy. However, a simple DC motor is also capable of providing the rotational forces and positional accuracy necessary for using the instant apparatus appropriately.

The sheets 20 may be displayed in sequence with the last sheet of the roller set 10 followed once again by the first sheet 20, in continuing cycles. Alternately, a subset of the sheets 20 which are pictorially, or thematically related may be sequentially displayed, ignoring the non-related other sheets 20 of the roller set 10. More generally, any selected number of the sheets 20 may be displayed in any order desired. A large number of display sequences are possible.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a single display roller 15 preferably has mounted on it, not just one, but plural roller sets 10 in side-by-side positions, as for instance sets A, B, C and D. Each roller set 10 may contain, for example, five sheets (20) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, in ordered sequence, i.e., all of the roller sets 10 have their sheets 20 arranged in the same order and like numbered sheets 20 are preferably pictorially related. Now, when it is desired to unfurl, for instance, sheet #3 in each of the roller sets 10 simultaneously, it may be done by directing the other sheets, i.e., numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5 to be positioned behind sheet 3 in each set 10. Then sheets 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D may be deployed together in side-by-side positions to create a continuous enlarged pictorial display as shown in FIG. 3, as for a billboard presentation 70.

The detailed mechanics for deploying a particular sheet 20 and for hiding the other sheets 20 behind the sheet 20 elected for viewing will be discussed now. In FIGS. 4A-4E and 5A-5E we show the manner of manipulation of the sheets 20 for display. In FIG. 4A we see a roll 15 with 3 sheets 20, for illustration purposes, wound around it and depending downwardly with the bottoms 22 of the sheets 20 arranged in terminal spaced apart positions, 24. The bottom edges of the sheets 20 are weighted by rods 26, but may be weighted in alternate ways. In FIG. 4A we see that the inner most sheet 20 on the roll 15 is visible to a viewer sighting along a directed shown by arrow “A”. Alternately, if the sighting direction of the viewer were to be opposite that of arrow “A” the outermost sheet 20 would be displayed.

When it is desired to display any one of sheets 20, the roll 15 is rotated as shown by the arrow “B” in FIG. 4B until all of the sheets 20 are rolled up onto the roll 15. Next, the roll 15 is continued to rotate in this same counterclockwise direction until one or more of the sheets 20 has moved free of a pressure contactor 80 which is preferably a press roller as shown in FIG. 4C, the last of the sheets 20 to move free of press roller 80 being the selected sheet 20 for display, and then roll 15 is halted. In FIG. 4C, the outermost sheet 20 has been released, but the roll 15 could have continued to rotated until the middle sheet 20 was released. Sensing of the passing of the bottom edge of the sheets between roll 15 and press roller 80 is easily accomplished by optical, magnetic or mechanical sensing means, among others, and is well within the capability of those of skill in the art. In the preferred embodiment, the weighting rod 26 is metal and the press roller has a metal sensor 82 such as a pair of electrical contacts with a magnet positioned to open the contacts when a ferromagnetic rod 26 passes the press roller 80. This sensor is thereby able to trigger a stop to rotation of roll 15 when the electrical contacts are opened by magnetic action thereby allowing the sheet 20 that has immediately passed the press roller 80 to fall, by its own weight, into position; see FIGS. 4C and 4D. FIG. 4D shows the position of the selected sheet 20 after it has unwrapped itself from the roll 15 and wherein its terminal portion has fallen into a vertical orientation. Roll 15 is then driven to rotate in the opposite direction (clockwise in FIG. 4D) as shown by arrow “C” until the selected sheet is fully unwrapped or deployed. One should not let the fact that the middle and inner sheets 20 appear to be wrapped outside of the outer sheet 20 be an indicator that somehow the outer sheet has moved to the inside wrap position; rather all of the sheets 20 are still in their respective positions, but now the outer sheet 20 is covered by the other sheets 20. In FIG. 4E we see that roll 15 has rotated so that the outer sheet 20 is fully deployed and the other two sheets 20 are hidden from view, assuming now that the viewing direction is as shown by arrow “A.” Likewise by selectively allowing any one of the sheets 20 to pass from right to left across the top of roll 15 so that it is free to fall into the vertical attitude, one may determine which of the sheets 20 are to be displayed. Preferably, an optical sensor 85 is used to sense when a sheet has fully deployed, as in FIG. 4E, and to send a signal to the motor operating circuit to enable a halt to rotation of roll 15. Alternately, a magnetic or mechanical sensor may be used to detect when a sheet 20 has reached full deployment. Such position sensors are well known in the art and such deployment is also well known to those of skill.

FIGS. 5A-5E show the same arrangement and deployment scheme as for FIGS. 4A-4E, with one addition. A light source 90 is positioned below roll 15 in such a position as to enable the one sheet 20 that is freed to uncurl around the left side of the roll 15, as shown in FIG. 5C, to move in front of the left side of the light source 90 while the remaining sheets 20 are naturally segregated onto the other side of the light source 90 as shown in FIG. 5E. To accomplish this, the light source is positioned below the roll 15 in such a position as to enable a deployed sheet 20 to fall to the left of the light source 90 and to enable the remaining sheets 20 to fall to the right of the light source 90. In this case, the sheets 20 may be translucent art that is illuminated by the second light source 90 from behind; still assuming that the viewing direction is from the left. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first light source 40 is preferably placed in front of sheets 20 to illuminate the front surfaces 20′ of such deployed sheets 20, preferably from each side, while the second light source 90 is able to illuminate the rear surface 20″ of such deployed sheets 20. In this manner one has a choice of illumination depending upon whether a sheet 20 is opaque or translucent. Clearly, one may attach both types of sheets to the roll 15 and program lighting to correspond to which type of sheet is deployed.

The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over the prior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of at least one aspect of the apparatus and its method of use and to the achievement of the above described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word or words describing the element.

The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein are meant to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements described and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim.

Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what incorporates the essential ideas.

The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that each named inventor believes that the claimed subject matter is what is intended to be patented. 

1. An unfurling apparatus comprising: a display roller driven in bidirectional rotation by a drive; a plurality of sheets, each one of the sheets having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of each of the sheets fixed to an outer surface of the display roller, the sheets coiled about the display roller such that the distal ends of the sheets are spaced apart; a pressure contactor in contact with the coiled sheets on the display roller; the pressure contactor positioned on the coiled sheets such that as the display roller rotates, each distal end of each one of the sheets that passes the pressure contactor in turn, is free to partially unwrap the corresponding sheet, so as to fall from the display roller thereby assuming a vertical deployment as an unwrapped sheet.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a shadow frame positioned adjacent to the unwrapped sheet, the frame providing a window positioned for viewing a central portion of the unwrapped sheet while the shadow frame obscures non-central portions of the unwrapped sheet.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a first light source positioned for illuminating a front surface of the unwrapped sheet.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second light source positioned for illuminating a rear surface of the unwrapped sheet.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the second light source is positioned below the display roller.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sheets are arranged in plural sets in side-by-side positions.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display roller comprises plural independently driven rollers in side-by-side common rotational axis orientation whereby selected sheets may be displayed simultaneously and independently from each of the driven rollers.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a weighting rod affixed to the distal end of each of the sheets.
 9. A method of unfurling comprising the steps of: driving a display roller in bidirectional rotation; attaching proximal ends of a plurality of sheets to the roller and coiling the sheets around the roller such that distal ends of the sheets are spaced apart; applying pressure to the coiled sheets on the display roller at a position on the coiled sheets such that as the display roller rotates, each distal end of each one of the sheets that passes the pressure contactor in turn, is free to partially unwrap the corresponding sheet, so as to fall from the display roller thereby assuming a vertical deployment as an unwrapped sheet.
 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of placing a shadow frame adjacent to the unwrapped sheet to obscure non-central portions of the unwrapped sheet.
 11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of illuminating a front surface of the unwrapped sheet.
 12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of illuminating a rear surface of the unwrapped sheet.
 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of placing an illumination source below the display roller.
 14. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of placing the plurality of sheets in plural sets in side-by-side positions on the display roller.
 15. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of separating the display roller into plural independently driven rollers in side-by-side common rotational axis orientation.
 16. A method of unfurling sheets comprising the steps of: rotating a display roller having a plurality of the sheets coiled therearound in a first rotational sense, until all of the sheets are rolled up onto the display roller; further rotating the display roller in the first rotational sense until a distal end of a selected one of the sheets has moved free of a pressure contactor thereby allowing the selected one of the sheets to fall into a vertical attitude depending from the display roller; and rotating the display roller in opposition to the first rotational sense until the selected one of the sheets is fully unfurled from the display roller.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of placing a frame adjacent to the selected one of the sheets to conceal non-central portions thereof.
 18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of illuminating the selected one of the sheets on a front surface thereof.
 19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of illuminating the selected one of the sheets on a rear surface thereof. 